


To Just Be Myself

by YeOldeThotticus



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Angst, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21726406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YeOldeThotticus/pseuds/YeOldeThotticus
Summary: Shadow the Hedgehog is a short-tempered honors history teacher at Green Hill High School.  His students are irritating, the drama between the other teachers is insufferable, and he feels destined to be alone for the rest of his life.  One of the new teachers this year, a happy-go-lucky P.E. coach who happens to be an accomplished former Olympic runner and is great with kids, catches his eye after a botched first encounter.  Begrudgingly accepting the help of Rouge, the geography teacher in the classroom next to his, he decides to get to know him despite their clashing personalities.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 28
Kudos: 78





	To Just Be Myself

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to be able to post something for the end of the year, but I've been working a ton lately and haven't really had much time to devote to either Fool's Gold or The Rut, so here's something I did a long time ago- April of 2018, if I remember correctly. I wrote this in one sitting, staying up for over twenty four hours listening to Brutalmoose play Nancy Drew: The Curse of Blackmoor Manor, and afterwards I went to the store for a can of tomatoes for a paella I was making, went to Taco Bell for a breakfast taco, and cried in the parking lot out of exhaustion and because there were onions in it.
> 
> To be fair, that's what I get for going to Taco Bell for a breakfast taco.
> 
> Enjoy!

"This is it- A910: Coach Sonic, Cross Country and Track!"

"I can't believe this is actually happening!" beams Tails. "You're gonna be the best coach ever!" Sonic sets down the heavy cardboard box and digs into his jacket pocket for the key. Sonic couldn't believe it either. Both he and Tails had worked so hard to get to this moment and now here they were, about to start a new job together. Even though they would be teaching two wildly different subjects, at least they were teaching at the same school. 

Despite Tails' nervousness about being able to handle a class on his own, Sonic was positive that he'd do perfectly fine. Besides, it's not like Computer Science was a mandatory class- at worst he'd have maybe one or two troublemakers wanting to just use the class time to mess around on the computers. P.E., on the other hand, _was_ mandatory, and Sonic definitely had his work cut out for him keeping every student attending Green Hill High School engaged. He knew he needn't worry either- Sonic connected well with kids and he was simply teaching his students how to be active and have fun, but this was still new territory.

Sonic turns the door handle and ushers Tails, carrying another large cardboard box, inside. Following behind him, the fox hits the light switch on the wall and the room is lit by a harsh fluorescent bulb.

"This is bigger that I expected!" Sonic grins. He fetches the cardboard box from outside the door and sets it on the well-worn particle board desk next to the computer. The desk is situated in the corner of the room facing the opposite wall, and on both sides are windows- the larger, obscured by blinds, showing the hallway; the smaller shows the track outside. The rest of the room was completely empty and sterile, save for a chair on wheels behind the desk and a small black wastebin. "After lunch we should go look for a couch to put in here. A coach's office should feel like home."

"Have you seen the gym yet?" asks Tails.

"Nah, but I did see the track and baseball field when we were driving up. The forest behind the school has a new trail, too- they cleared it just for the cross country team!" Sonic excitedly begins to busy himself with the contents of the box, wondering where to put everything.

"Well, while you're out there, you'll definitely need this!" Tails exclaims, pulling out a wrapped gift from his box. Sonic looks up and smiles.

"Aw, buddy! You shouldn't have!" Sonic gleefully shreds open the paper, revealing a blue and white metal insulated water bottle. In red lettering is the name "Coach Sonic," similar the jacket Tails had gotten him when they had been hired.

"You got me that awesome coffee mug earlier, so I thought you needed something for your water!" says Tails. Sonic beams at his brother and musses the fox’s bangs.

"You know what? I'm going to break this bad boy in right now. Let's go find a water fountain."

* * *

"While we're here we should sneak a peak at your classroom to see what we're working with before you set it up in a few weeks," says Sonic as the two make their way down the main hallway of the athletics building. "I'd hate for us to go shopping for my office and completely miss something that you might need."

"I don't think the main building is even unlocked, and besides, I don't know where my classroom even is. You're kind of lucky- since Cross Country starts before the school year even starts, you get to set up your space before any of the other teachers and coaches." The two locate a fountain and Sonic fills his new bottle.

"What do you want to do tomorrow once I'm finished with try-outs?" Sonic asks, looking up at the other.

"I found a new chili recipe that I'd really like to try! While it's simmering I can finish up a lesson plan or two, and it won't matter if try-outs run a bit late. The later it is, the better the flavor."

"Oh geez," says Sonic sheepishly, screwing the top on the bottle and taking a swig of water, "I'm glad you mentioned that."

"You haven't even started your lesson plans?" Tails asks, confused, before the two begin to make their way back to Sonic's office.

"I may have been putting it off a bit. I've had a lot on my mind lately."

"I know you have. I've been really worried- last week I could practically hear everything in that call with your dad through my bedroom wall."

"I'm sorry you had to hear that. You know how my parents get, especially Dad," Sonic sighs. "You've got nothing to worry about. I know that I'd like to do activities in two week intervals- that way the kids have enough time to get used to the games, and we'll be able to switch activities before they even have a chance to get bored. Once we finish setting up my office I'll need to take a peek in the storage room and see what I have to work with."

Tails stops walking suddenly, staring intently at a bright pink piece of posterboard taped over what seemed to be a name plate.

"Uh, Sonic?"

"Yeah bud?" Sonic glances at the bouncy lettering on the posterboard- Coach Rose, Softball. "Oh crap."

The two turn to look at the trophy case beside the door- it was filled to the top with gold trophies and pictures of the softball team and their coach, a familiar pink hedgehog.

"I suppose that isn't too surprising- she was the captain of the team in high school. I haven't spoken to her since we broke up; I can't believe it's been so long..."

"How exactly did you break things off with her?" Tails asks cautiously.

"Like a coward," sighs Sonic, looking morosely at his feet. "I just told her I was busy training for my events and didn't really have the time to give her the time and attention that she needed-"

"So you didn't tell her-"

"I couldn't. I know that I should have, but she was upset enough as it was, and I don't think that 'hey by the way I realized while dating you that I'm gay as fuck' would have helped the situation," Sonic spits.

"Sonic!" Tails snaps, taken aback by his friends' sudden coarse language.

"Well what else was I supposed to say?" Sonic returns.

"That's just your dad talking..." mumbles Tails, trying to deescalate the situation. Sonic sighs out of exasperation, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Not entirely- it's a little of Grandpa in there too." Sonic looks bitterly up towards the ceiling. "Maybe a dash of Uncle Chuck. It also doesn't help that Amy was always a little... intense. Like, she was cool when we were just friends, just super passionate about competing and fun to be around, but once we started dating..." Sonic trails off as the two stare at the trophy case. Sonic sighs again.

"Whelp, let's pack up and find another school across town to teach at." Sonic suggests, playfully patting Tails on the back before turning back to his office.

"We can't just bail on them- they made that nice, new trail just for you and your team. Principal Blaze sounded so excited!"

"I'm just joking... I think..." Sonic takes one last dreaded look at Amy's office and ducks back into his.

* * *

"Morning, Shadow!" sings Rouge, poking her head into the door of the Honors History classroom. Two weeks had passed, and the rest of the staff had arrived for their first day of inservice. The surly black hedgehog grunts, turning his head from the map he was pinning on his classroom wall. Rouge pushes her jeweled sunglasses up to her forehead and hands him a cup of coffee. Shadow nods in curt appreciation and accepts it, rolling his white starched sleeves up and takes a sip. "Did they let you know about that mandatory meeting at three?" she asks as she lets herself in and sets down a small bag of pastries.

"I received an email about that."

"There are a few new teachers on board this year that they want everyone to meet," she hums absentmindedly, pulling out a chocolate croissant. "Mostly coaches, unfortunately," she adds. Shadow rolls his eyes and steps down from the chair he had been standing on.

"So I assume that's more of the school's budget being funneled into the athletics department while our students have to sit in the same ratty chairs that have been here for the past fifteen years?" he snarls beginning to root around in the bag.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic- at least these ones are better than the ones that were here when we were in school," she sighs, testing out one of the aforementioned chairs before taking a seat and starting her breakfast. "The new coaches are kinda cute. One's this hedgehog with the most brilliant green eyes- almost the exact color of that emerald I swiped in Adabat a few years ago." She wistfully takes a sip of her coffee before continuing. "Supposedly he's a former Olympic runner and won all kinds of medals, so obviously he's the new track and P.E. coach. I saw him outside with the cross country team while I was parking. Classes haven't even started yet and you can already tell that the kids love him." Shadow disinterestedly asks for a pack of cream cheese for his bagel. 

"And then there's this awful meatheaded echidna- the new wrestling coach. He's built and hot as all hell, with these gorgeous amethyst eyes, but he's such a dumbass..." 

"Great."

"I passed him in the hallway and he was having the absolute worst time trying to work the lock on his door. He literally punched the fucking door open! The poor new kid they have teaching CompSci was absolutely mortified." 

Shadow snorts. Great, he thinks. Another year, more cretinous athletes to come to his door begging him to change grades so their kids can compete.

"But get this," she snickers.

"What?" Shadow grunted, busying himself with the cream cheese.

"Apparently the original plan was for him to be the new P.E. coach, but since they hired the other guy too, they're making him teach a different class. So guess where they stuck this neanderthal?"

Shadow raised an eyebrow as he took a bite of his bagel.

"Chemistry!" Rouge laughed as she announced this, but laughed even harder when she saw Shadow's furious face.

"Blaze probably requested that the school board would assign him to the science wing so that she could have Silver keep an eye on him," he sighs.

"Of course she did- Silver's a great teacher but he's _such_ a little snitch," Rouge mutters. "At least it'll help keep you out of trouble this year."

"Look, when a kid is being a dick, I'm going to bring it up in the parent/teacher meeting," Shadow rumbles, annoyed.

"You're not supposed to use those words exactly, though!" Rouge cackles. "You're lucky you still have a job!"

"Whatever. Thanks for breakfast." Shadow stands and returns to putting together his classroom.

"By the way- the new CompSci guy used to do some contract work for G.U.N. The kid's apparently a prodigy- he's still young enough to be a student here. There's no way that could end badly..."

"Prower, right?" Shadow grunts.

"Yup- he's a little fox kit with two tails, wearing a pressed white shirt and red tie like a good little boy." Rouge takes another swig of her coffee. "I'm surprised you know him."

"I got a call from G.U.N. about him last week. Since I've been stuck in this hellhole for so long and got you your job here, they requested I keep an eye on him to make sure he adjusts well. I feel like that's more your territory, however," he says, turning to look at her.

"Say no more!" she chirps, playfully saluting Shadow. "I'll go roll out the welcome wagon later this afternoon. Text me if you need anything!"

Shadow clears the mess from breakfast from the desk and notices that there were a few more bagels and ramekins of cream cheese inside. As he was going to be stuck here longer than intended, he was thankful for a larger breakfast to get him through his first day back to work in months. He rolls the bag up tightly and places it on his desk. Even though he wouldn't openly admit it, he was happy that someone he had worked closely with in the past had her classroom directly next to his. It made the long, grueling days filled with idiot kids and their idiot parents easier to deal with when there was someone right there to snark with during passing periods. He wasn't too big on "office gossip," but intel was Rouge's specialty, and having as much information as possible about this year's faculty was helpful in planning how to avoid pointless altercations with the rest of the staff.

Geography was now her focus, fitting considering her previous position, and her students absolutely adored her and her snarky tendencies, while certain students were creepily fond of her "other assets." It would have killed Shadow for the knowledge that they had briefly dated years ago in the middle of their tenure at G.U.N. to become public; he was never comfortable talking about relationships, as he had his reputation as a stern, demanding teacher to uphold, and while he was bisexual he leaned a little more towards men in general. Thankfully the story itself wasn't particularly interesting- they mutually agreed to break things off. It never really went anywhere, and neither was comfortable with the idea of it getting in the way of their work. Some of Rouge's more... _persistent_ students would probably love to hear the details; he'd personally chased off several of the particularly disgusting ones over the years.

But now here he was, ten years older, and not really a long-term relationship since. Rouge delighted in scoping out potential partners for Shadow but they never worked out. Maybe he was just destined to be alone? Shadow scoffs at himself. Being alone in this room with his thoughts was clearly not helping, and he wasn't exactly ready to settle in for another year stuck here just yet. The weather outside is somber, overcast, and oddly comforting- perhaps a walk would help clear his mind. He reaches for the bag of bagels and his coffee and locked the door behind him.

* * *

Shadow strides down to the track, as the bleachers were fairly close to the door and from there was a nice view of the nearby forest. He took a seat towards the bottom and began to spread cream cheese on his next bagel while taking in his surroundings. It’s unseasonally overcast, but after a long and miserably hot summer (even more miserably hot when the dark color of your quills draws in heat), it was outright heavenly. The cool breeze brings the pleasant smell of petrichor to his nose and he sighs comfortably. He watches the leaves on the sturdy trees dance in the wind and allows his mind to wander, only to be interrupted by the migraine-inducing shriek of a whistle.

"Oops, sorry about that guys," laughs a cobalt blue hedgehog wearing a thin blue and white jacket, holding up the offending instrument while sheepishly scratching his messy quills. "I guess I'm still getting used to this," he chuckles. The group of students that had gathered around him laugh. All were wearing shirts and shorts which matched the color scheme of their coach's jacket. In the crowd a student who had previously been in his class- Cream, a peach and orange rabbit who had been one of Shadow's favorite pupils in his entire teaching career. She had always been polite, never asked him infuriatingly stupid and pointless questions like the others, and genuinely seemed invested in her education. Also among the crowd were a raccoon, a squirrel, a wolf, two cats and a monkey, all smiling brightly in adoration of their coach.

"All right, everyone," says the coach, "Unfortunately cross-country season is a bit short compared to other sports, and I know I'm probably going to lose a few of you to the other coaches in the springtime, but I do hope that if you love running as much as I do and if you love working with me that you'll also join track and field when that season starts in February!" The children begin to chatter excitedly. 

Shadow could not imagine his own students wanting to take his course because they liked him as a person- students signed up for his class over the regular, duller, bare-minimum history class because there was the promise of college credit if they managed to pass the exam at the end of the year. Strict and short-tempered Mr. Shadow was just an obstacle to overcome. There was the occasional student every year or so who was curious if the rumors about him and his infamous temper were true, and they always found out about that first-hand before they were permanently removed from his charge within a matter of a week or two. Yet here these kids were, giving up their free time- not class time, but free time, and their summer, no less!- to spend time with this guy. 

"You don't have to give me your answers now!" says the coach, his hands in the air. "I'm just asking that ya think it over during this season. I won't be holding try-outs for that until the end of January. Now, let's take a short break before we get started on our next drills. Meet me back here in fifteen minutes!" The team disperses, with some headed towards the athletics building while others retrieved their water bottles and towels on the grass.

Suddenly, the coach turns, and locks eyes with Shadow.

Rouge's description had been correct- his eyes were a brilliant emerald green, and his face rounded and kind. His quills were strangely messy yet defined, as if he just effortlessly run his fingers through them with gel and let them be. The fur on his muzzle and stomach was a bright, friendly peach color, and as the coach thoughtfully scratches at his nose and smirks, Shadow wonders just how long he had known he was there watching. Before Shadow could wonder for too long suddenly the blue hedgehog was at his side, offering an outstretched hand paired with a warm, boyish smile.

"Hi!"

Shadow stares, dumbfounded.

"How did you-"

"How did I get over here?" the blue hedgehog grins. "Well, I put one foot in front of the other-"

"No, I know that you dolt," Shadow snaps, averting his gaze so he wouldn't get caught staring at the coach's eyes. The friendly hedgehog's smile morphs into a sneer. So much for first impressions.

"How did I what, then?" The blue hedgehog crosses his arms, slightly confused but standing his ground.

"How did you get hired here?" Shadow spits. "The athletics program is overblown and overfunded as it is."

"I mean, a strong athletics program draws families to move to the district, which means more tax-payer funds, and dedicated sports programs build strong, well-rounded students-"

"Dedication to their studies is what will get them to where they need to be." Shadow takes a nonchalant bite of his bagel.

"Well, yeah, _obviously,_ " the azure hedgehog rolls his eyes before moving to sit next to the surly hedgehog. "I understand that there is a strong no-pass/no-play policy in this school, and I would hate to reward a student's disregard for their education." Shadow sniffs before scooting away from the other. _At least the fool seems to know his place,_ he thought. _How refreshing._ "However, kids naturally need an outlet, and we owe it to them to-"

"To what? Waste their time playing tag on the playground with a washed-up jock?"

"Oh get bent," snaps the coach, taken aback. His quills bristle, which Shadow finds strangely... cute. "I may not have been the best student myself when I was their age, however, I would argue that representing our nation on the world's stage in both the Spagonia and Chun-Nan games is a pretty all right accomplishment." Shadow rolls his eyes indignantly. _What a fucking blowhard._

"I see. So even more of our budget will be thrown at your program than usual?"

"Well, the school board was kind enough to approve building a path through the forest for my cross country team," replies Sonic with a sardonic grin.

"Unsurprising. Then I take it that because of this I'll be having to pay for pencils and paper out of pocket yet again this year?" Shadow's brow furrows deeper. The coach softens a bit.

"I don't know about all that. If it's that big of a deal, I'd be more than happy to pitch in." He smiles and gives his hand again as a peace offering. "I'm Coach Sonic! I'll be teaching P.E. and coaching both cross-country and track. What did you say your name was...?" Shadow begrudgingly shakes his hand.

"I didn't. Shadow, honors history."

"I see. I was awful at history- too much memorization for my liking, and I can't imagine doing a college-level course in high school."

"Shocking," Shadow sighed, scornful. He collected his bag and stood up. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"I suppose the kids have had long enough for water and snacks," Sonic mumbles under his breath, looking towards the door of the athletics building and waving to the children hanging around there before snapping his attention back to Shadow and pushing off from his seat. "I'll see you at the meeting a little later?"

"Unfortunately." Shadow takes his leave, making his way back to the main building.

"Fantastic," Sonic sighs to himself. He'd only been here for a few hours and already someone didn't like him.

* * *

Shadow, having now set up his desk just as it had been before he had been forced to clear out his room for the summer, sits comfortably in the dark and works by the light of the charcoal gray lamp sitting on the edge of his workspace. He types quickly, occaisionally glancing over to the outline he had carefully prepared a few months ago, but finds himself oddly distracted by his earlier encounter. Somehow, the smell of fresh rain grew stronger with the other hedgehog's approach. Sonic was persistant and wouldn't back down easily. Shadow couldn't help but be intrigued.

He stops typing and stared at the keyboard; the keys became foggy and unfocused. 

Squeezing his eyes shut before inhaling sharply, he opens his web browser and searches ‘list of spagonia olympic games athletes.’ He clicks on the first result and scrolls quickly, squinting at the bright white contrast of the page as he hunted for the coach’s name. Suddenly, there it was- Sonic the Hedgehog, Men's 100M, Gold - WR. Curious, he scrolls a bit further, and there it was again- Sonic the Hedgehog, Men's 10000M, Gold - WR. This guy wasn't just blazingly fast, he was fast enough to win gold and best the previous record set before him. He glances over to the picture accompanying the text. He looked considerably younger, quite possibly fresh out of high school.

He searches again- ‘list of chun-nan olympiad athletes.’ Scrolling down to where the previous results were, again there he was, again both 100M and 10000M, again both gold, again both new records. _Oh Chaos,_ Shadow thinks. Looking at the provided picture, he sees that the subject was a little older this time and his bright emerald eyes stare proudly, playfully, and almost _teasingly_ back at Shadow. Sweet Chaos, Shadow could get lost in those eyes...

"Shadow!" called Rouge, who was standing at the door and had clearly been there calling for him for a little while. Shadow hurriedly snapped his laptop shut, hoping to hide the incriminating page. She smirked, crossing her arms. "What has you so worked up?"

"Nothing," grunted Shadow, "I was just having trouble reading something."

"Sure you were," she simpered, her voice honeyed. "I was looking for you a little earlier- where did you run off to?"

"I went for a walk."

"Uh-huh."

"Nothing more." 

Rouge raises a knowing eyebrow at him and saunters over to the desk before kneeling and leaning her elbows onto it.

"I haven't seen _that_ face in quite some time," she scoffs dryly. "What happened?" Shadow sighs, knowing it was useless trying to keep it from her.

"The P.E. coach happened," he laments, angry with himself. _Stupid fucking libido._ "With his messy quills and his damn sneer-"

"Go on," she says. _Oh this is going to be great,_ she thinks to herself. Letting out a deep, pained exhale Shadow continued, albeit in a quieter voice.

"He didn't back down when I tried to intimidate him, and has these gorgeous fucking eyes and his quills smell of pine needles and petrichor. Happy?" he snaps, glaring at her. Rouge cackled madly, pulling herself up to sit on the desk.

"And let me guess- you blew it?" Shadow takes a deep gulp of his coffee.

"Oh yeah."

"You're awful," she teases, playfully poking at his twitching ear.

"I know," groans Shadow, burying his face in his hands with exasperation.

"Hmmm…” she starts. “He's cute, but not my type. He has that sort of goody-goody youth group minister-stink on him; he seems like the type that unironically says 'radical' and 'tight.'"

"Yeah, I know," Shadow says, reopening his laptop. "But have a look at this." Rouge quickly steps around the desk to investigate.

"Damn, gold in both?"

"Both this and Spagonia."

"Holy shit," she gasps. Shadow spins around in his chair and abruptly stands, making his way to the window. He stares at the clouds, furious with himself for already getting worked up about this other hedgehog.

"Shadow?" Rouge calls tauntingly, receiving a grunt in response. "If you'd like, I can see what else I can dig up on him. You know I love being your wingman, and truth be told I _was_ getting a bit worried."

"I don't need you to worry about me."

"This has been one hell of a dry spell for you," she says, ignoring him.

Shadow closes his eyes. Did he really want to go through with this? His previous flings had all been short, primarily physical affairs. Getting involved with another teacher could have disastrous consequences. He lets out an annoyed sigh before finally giving a firm nod.

"Sweet!" she cries, leaping down from the desk. "Leave everythi-"

"Hold it- you have to promise me something."

"And what is that?" Rouge scowls, her hands on her hips.

"I want this kept quiet. Under no circumstance do I want this going public."

"Oh, fine..." she pouts.

* * *

“All right, I think we’re done here for today! Great job, everyone!” Sonic unclips a stack of papers from his clipboard and hands them to Marine, a raccoon standing close to him.

“Strewth! What’s this about?” she asks, bemusedly.

“It’s our competition schedule! Pass them out and make sure everyone gets one.” Sonic raises his voice slightly to ensure everyone could hear him. “Our first meet is in Marble Garden.”

“Oi! With those rich snobs?” Marine cringes as she passes around the papers.

“They’ve invited us, and since it’s a fairly small school it’ll be perfect our first outing. We’ll be leaving here Saturday of the first week of class at seven in the morning. Remember to bring water bottles, snacks, a towel- whatever you think you’re gonna need. I'll definitely draw up a list before we leave. We should get there around nine or so, and once we’re there we’ll take a preliminary walk around the course with the other teams so that everyone knows the route. I don’t want anyone getting lost and losing time or getting disqualified or anything!” 

Cream squints at the list and raises a worried hand.

“Um, Coach Sonic? Are we really ready for this? I’m worried we might lose.”

“Here's the thing- it doesn’t matter whether we really win or lose. I just want everyone to get comfortable with the experience, and most importantly, to enjoy themselves. Running isn’t supposed to be a chore- it’s about being able to let your stress go and see how far your legs can take you, and how fast they can do that! We’ll get to visit a beautiful new place and taste the sweet air and meet all sorts of new people.”

Cream and the rest of the team smile.

“Also we’re all going out for pizza afterwards anyway,” Sonic teases, grinning with a sarcastic shrug, “so again, it doesn’t _really_ matter.” The team erupts in cheers and starts chattering excitedly. “If that’s everything I’ll see you all back here again tomorrow at eight. Have a great night, everyone!” The team disperses, hurriedly grabbing their belongings and pulling out phones to call and text their parents to pick them up. Coach Sonic reaches for his water bottle off the ground and looks up to see Cream still standing in front of him.

“Coach Sonic, I saw you talking with Mr. Shadow earlier. Are you okay?”

“Oh, you know that guy?” She nods quickly.

“I was in his class last year.”

“Really? Sorry about that- that must have been awful,” he says, taking a quick sip of water.

“Oh, I didn’t mind it much- he can be really scary sometimes, but he never shouted at me.”

“But he would shout at other students?” Sonic closes the cap on the bottle and crossed his arms incredulously.

“He has a bit of a temper,” Cream sighs, “but it looks like you saw that yourself. It was the worst during the first few weeks, but then the kids who were acting out in class slowly started disappearing from the roster and he mellowed out a bit. Once the rest of us got to know him he could be really funny, and he can be pretty nice too. I used to go to his room during lunch for tutoring before my credit exam to make sure I was ready, and when we were done with that he’d help me with some of my other homework too.”

“Do you know anything about him? He seems to really hate the coaches.”

“He would make jokes about the jocks getting full scholarships for worthless degrees just so they could play on their university’s teams. He doesn’t really like sports in general- he thinks it's a waste of time and the school's money.”

“Yeah, he made sure to tell me that,” Sonic mutters, rolling his eyes towards the sky. “Is he friends with any of the other teachers?”

“He’s really close with Ms. Rouge- she teaches geography in the classroom next to his. Sometimes they sit together during lunch and pep rallies and stuff like that."

“Someone _willingly_ spends time with him?" Sonic grimaces. "They aren’t married, are they?”

“No- I don’t think either of them are married to anyone. Apparently they used to work together somewhere before they were teachers, but I don’t know what it was that they did. There’s a rumor going around that they used to be spies for the government,” Cream giggles. “Isn’t that silly?”

"I can imagine rumors starting about that sort of guy. I'd definitely hate to be in his class- history always bored me to tears, and I _know_ he would have hated having me as a student."

"Don't worry about it, Coach Sonic! I have a feeling that you'll get on his good side in no time!"

"You really think so?" Sonic smiles, unsure.

"Of course I do!" Cream's smile seems to emit pure joy. "Everyone on the team loves you already- I just know all the other teachers will too!"

"Aw, thanks Cream. I needed that today." Sonic absentmindedly scratches his nose. 

Suddenly, a muffled phone vibrates. Cream pulls out a smartphone in a turquoise blue case with a chao pattern on it and looks at the screen, furrowing her brow.

"Oh, Mom's here! I'll see you tomorrow, Coach Sonic!" She waves while hurriedly grabbing her bag, and dashes for the parking lot. Sonic waves back, looking pleased. He hoped that Cream's intuition was correct; it would probably be in his best interest to get the guy to like him, considering that he openly shared his disdain towards the athletics department with his students.

* * *

Sonic dashes over to the athletics building and opened the door, eagerly anticipating the blast of the AC, and is pleasantly surprised to see Tails, looking distraught and ostensibly reaching for the same door handle.

"Perfect timing!" Sonic grins. "You have _no idea_ how grateful I am to see you! Are you all set up yet?"

"Not yet," Tails laments, stepping back into the building. "It's been hard enough just dealing with the other teachers."

"Tell me about it," mutters Sonic, closing the door behind him before relishing the chilled air in his quills. "What happened?"

"What HASN'T happened! As soon as I got to my classroom, this guy literally punched his door open because he couldn't figure out the lock!" Sonic looks bewildered. 

"You're joking."

"I wish!" Tails squeaks. "The hedgehog that teaches in the room next to mine nearly flipped!"

"I would too. Is your neighbor nice?"

"Oh yeah- real nice guy. He teaches physics. He's got these suuuuper long quills that you just _have_ to see."

"Neat! Is he... uh, single?" Sonic half-joked, scratching his quills.

"I dunno, but what I _do_ know is that he’s super close to the principal. He said he sent her a text about the guy's broken door so hopefully it'll be fixed before classes start. Wouldn't that be a shock to see on your first day of class!" 

"I can't even imagine."

As the two were talking, a hedgehog with pink quills was walking across the hallway, carrying two heavy-looking boxes. Sonic immediately feels his stomach turn.

She suddenly turns towards the sound of their voices, and as her eyes lock with Sonic's she drops the boxes and gasped.

"Oh. My. Gawd. IT'S TRUE!!!" she shrieks, making a mad dash towards Sonic and Tails.

"H-hey, Amy. Long time no- AAAAAAGH!" Amy tackles Sonic, locking her arms around him.

"OHMIGOSH HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? I saw your office all set up next to mine! Where's your classroom at?!"

"I don't really have one," Sonic gasps, trying to noodle his way out of her arms. Finally he manages to break free and begins to smooth the wrinkles out of the arms of his jacket.

"What are you talking about? All the coaches are required to also teach a class."

"Well, I teach P.E. So I guess most of this... here... is my classroom," says Sonic, gesturing vaguely to the rest of the athletics building with a coy smile.

"Oh that is just _soooo_ you!" she squeals. "And this can't be little Tails over here!" she turned her attention to the frightened fox.

"Oh, h-hey Amy. How have you been?" Tails stammers.

"Stellar! This is my sixth year here! I teach Home Ec, and when Blaze got promoted I also took her place in the English department," she grinned proudly. "I also coach the softball team. I'm sure you've seen all of my girls' trophies?" She gestures boastfully towards the display case.

"Yeah! I'm glad you've found your niche!" Sonic smiles sweetly. As much as he dreaded seeing her again, he was happy to see that she was succeeding. She had been a pretty good friend of his before they had even started dating, and he had genuinely missed her despite not speaking with her for nearly a decade.

" _My_ niche?" Amy laughs incredulously. "Your teams will probably end up with more trophies than mine! I watched all of your events- what was it like? The sights? The sounds? The food? The competition?!"

"Uh, guys," Tails interrupts. "We really need to get going if we want to get to that meeting on time."

"Then you'll just have to tell me on the way there!" says Amy, taking Sonic's arm and dragging him down the hallway.

* * *

When the trio arrived at the teachers' lounge, Sonic and Tails were taken aback by how spacious it was- there were six large, circular tables that had been pushed to the side, while the chairs that ostensibly once surrounded them were lined up in four rows, filled with a few teachers- a lemur, a badger, a wolf, a sheep, and a white hedgehog. Couches, cabinets, an oven, and two refrigerators line the perimeter, and the smell of fresh, brewing coffee can be smelled throughout the room.

"We had it remodeled a couple years ago- the full kitchen is a huge improvement," Amy sighs dreamily. "Last year my planning period was right before the lunch hour, so whenever I finished up early I'd make lunch for everyone. I'm a little frustrated that it's now my first period."

"That's a shame," said the white hedgehog, seated in a chair in the front row and turning to look back at the three. "I'm really gonna miss your paella."

"Oh hey, Silver!" chirps Amy. "I can get you the recipe if you'd like! What are you doing here so early?"

"Blaze asked me to set things up in here before the meeting," he replies, turning around in his chair and resting his muzzle on his arms. "Coffee should be done in a bit if you'd all like some."

"Thanks again, Silver," Tails smiles.

"You're very welcome. And I take it that this is famous Coach Sonic?"

"The one and only," Sonic grins.

"Cool. Blaze has been talking about you ever since you were brought on-" Silver starts. Suddenly the door opened, and Shadow walks in with a white bat that Sonic did not recognize. _I'm guessing that's the geography teacher Cream mentioned?_ he thinks. The two are having a hushed conversation, with the bat snickering occasionally. Sonic gestures for Amy and Tails to sit with him, not wanting Principal Blaze to walk in just as he was getting into another altercation with Shadow.

Rouge feels her phone buzz softly and pulls it quickly out of her purse.

<( He looked at me. ) 

Rouge sniffs indignantly at her friend before composing her reply.

( That doesn't mean shit. )>

<( I get that. Now what do I do to fix that? )

( Apologize and get to know the guy. What does he do in his free time? What music does he like? What's his favorite food? )>

Shadow shuffles irritably in his chair.

<( You know I hate small-talk.)

( I don't care. Make an effort; you can't just expect this guy to want to be your new favorite toy after one argument and nothing else. )>

Shadow blushes, embittered, though the composition of his snappy retort was disturbed by the violent slam of the door.

"YOU!" bellows a large echidna hulking like a mountain at the other end of the room, with an angry finger pointed directly at Sonic. He wears a jacket in the same style as Sonic's, though it was green with yellow sleeves and something on the right side was monogrammed in red.

"Me?" asks Sonic, puzzled. _Oh great, someone else who already hates me before we've even spoken. What did I do this time?_

The two are interrupted by the door to the teacher's lounge abruptly opening once more. This time Blaze steps in, looking down at a bright pink clipboard while fiddling absentmindedly with the long strand of pearls hanging over her deep violet cardigan. The echidna darts clumsily for a seat while glowering at Sonic. Behind him, Sonic notices Shadow glowering at Knuckles while the bat sits with a dark purple leather purse in her lap, carefully reapplying her lipstick.

Sonic turns his attention to the front of the room as Rouge slipped her lipstick and makeup compact back into her bag. Shadow returns to staring quietly at Sonic before a silent notification popped up on his phone.

<( I know you refuse to admit that you have emotions like the rest of us. Maybe work on that first. )

( I don't even know if he's into men. )>

"Good afternoon, everyone," begins Blaze, taking her place at the front of the room. Shadow and Rouge hide their phones in their laps while Silver immediately snaps his attention to her and turns around to sit properly in his seat. 

"I hope you've all had a pleasant vacation- heaven knows we all needed it," she mutters under her breath. "But let's get down to business- most importantly, we are grateful to have a few new members joining our staff this year," she smiles warmly, gesturing to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. "Firstly, we have Mr. Prower, a former student of ours who will be instructing Computer Science." Tails stands and grins nervously. Silver waves genially while Sonic beamed, proudly patting Tails on the back once he sat back down. "Mr. Prower graduated from here at the age of twelve, and while at university he worked very closely with the military. Can you tell us anything about that, Miles?" Tails winces slightly at his birthname, unhappy that his nickname wouldn't exactly be permissible in a professional setting.

"I mean, if you can wait eighty or so years- I'm still under security clearance," he returns, sending a wave of laughter throughout the room. Shadow glances back down at his phone, where another text was waiting.

<( Supposedly the kid is super close to your Prince Charming. I'll ask about him when I go to see him after the meeting. )

"Fair enough," Blaze says with a friendly smile before returning to her clipboard. "Let's see, we also have Coach Knuckles, who will be teaching chemistry and coaching our new wrestling team once that season begins in October." The echidna stands, crossing his arms and smirking while most of the staff applauds. Sonic notices the bat sitting beside Shadow roll her eyes and scowl while Shadow stares up at the ceiling, somehow able to look more cross than he already had been. He glances back at Tails with a raised eyebrow and a scowl of his own while Tails responds with a shrug.

"Thank you, ma'am!" Knuckles bellows jovially, sticking out his chest.

"It's my understanding that you're an accomplished body builder and coach?"

"Yes ma'am. However, it is also _my_ understanding that there has been a mistake."

"A mistake?" Blaze asks, puzzled.

"I was originally told that I would be teaching P.E." Knuckles glares at Sonic.

"Yes, er well, the school board has decided-"

"You mean you decided-"

"I most certainly did not. Hiring decisions as well as staff placement is decided by the school board. I manage day to day operations and report directly to them," Blaze sniffs scornfully. "The decision to put you in the science department was not mine, I can assure you. There's been a shortage of science teachers, and they felt that your replacement was a better fit for the physical education program. Now please take a seat," she directs.

"And finally, we come to Coach Sonic," Blaze announces, "who will be teaching physical education in addition to coaching our cross country and track teams." Amy and Tails erupt in cheers as Sonic stands, blushing from their praise but thankful for some positive attention. "On behalf of the school board, we are very excited to have both a former student and former Olympian instructing the program."

"I'm honored, ma'am. Thank you." 

Sonic, out of the corner of his eye, notices that Shadow had raised an eyebrow before turning to Rouge and muttering to her under his breath. 

"Thank you for offering to coach our children. I'm certain both they and their parents will be very pleased," Blaze smiles graciously.

"Seeing how many kiddos came to cross country try-outs, my guess is that they already are," Sonic grins. "We have some great talents this year- I'm confident we'll do great in competition."

"Oh please," spits Knuckles. Sonic snaps his head in his direction, scowling. "They'll get absolutely crushed," he grins patronizingly.

"And why are you so sure of that?" Sonic grits his teeth. Knuckles stands, crossing his arms.

"I've seen your training methods- 'it's not about who wins or loses, it's about having fun!'" he mimicks. Sonic's quills flare.

"I'd rather the kids be happy than miserable because of a loss. Their studies are hard enough on them as it is, and we have to remember that we're talking about literal children here." Knuckles rolls his eyes.

"Gentlemen, please!" groaned Blaze, her fur becoming fluffier with irritation.

"I'll bet I'd be able to take my wrestling team further in competition than your miserable excuse for a track team!" Knuckles proclaims, ignoring the incensed principal's orders.

"Wanna bet?" Sonic sniffed, never one to turn down the prospect of a rivalry. "Cross country's already started, though proper track and field season is from February to May. Now, it's my understanding that wrestling is from October to March. Is that correct?" Knuckles nods with a sneer. "Perfect. If I win, then I never want to hear another word from you about my coaching. However..."

"If I win?"

"On the off-chance that you do manage to win, then I'll relinquish the position of P.E. coach to you." Tails and Amy gasped while Shadow and Rouge's eyes widen.

"Sonic, you can't!" Amy shouts. "You haven't even started!"

"EXCUSE ME," snaps Blaze. Sonic and Knuckles look sheepishly at her. "If you two are quite finished, we have a few things to address before we finish up here." The two sit back down, though both silently plot the rest of the parameters of the deal and fully intend to talk them over in the hallway afterwards.

"Your boy toy's certainly cocky," Rouge murmurs. Shadow sniffs, quiet but definitely enjoying seeing Sonic riled up. This was definitely going to be an interesting year.

* * *

After the meeting had ended, most of the staff returned to their classrooms to finish unpacking. Tails, flustered about the challenge his best friend had made, tried in vain to distract himself. Sonic had run off to his office to plan his coaching of the fated upcoming track season, and would be upset if Tails wasn't properly prepared for his first day.

As he stands to fuss with the placement of the chairs for the umpteenth time, there is a knock at the door.

"Come in," Tails calls absentmindedly. In steps a white bat wearing a rosy pink blouse and black pencil skirt, whom Tails had seen both this morning and at the meeting, but hadn't had the chance to speak with...

* * *

Finished for the time being, Shadow saves his work on the take-home test meant for the first week and closed up his laptop. He stuffs it into his laptop bag before reaching for his empty coffee mug, only to be interrupted by his door opening. He looks up, pleased to see Rouge had returned from her intel mission on Sonic.

"What did the fox tell you?" he asks, working to keep his voice level and composed. Rouge grins slyly.

"Gay as a tangerine," she says before shutting the door and returning to her classroom. Shadow packs up the rest of his things for the day and quietly begins to plan his next move as he leaves for the day.

**Author's Note:**

> I *might* be convinced to finish this if there's enough demand- I still have all my notes and I had this planned out pretty extensively.
> 
> As always, follow me @yeoldethotticus on Twitter and Tumblr
> 
> Happy Holidays!


End file.
